With the 2nd Annual Alan Dietzenbach Memorial Softball Tournament a mere month away I thought I would a share a column from last year's game. All credit must go to my good buddy Skip Carlson. One of the greatest sports feature writers in Sauk County.
Green Battles Back For Dramatic Win at 1st Annual Alan Dietzenbach Memorial Softball Game, Alvarez Named MVP
By: Skip Carlson
Reedsburg - Softball. In my 22 years of covering sports, I've never once had any desire to write about softball. That was until I got word of an assignment to travel to the legendary Fr. Cassidy Athletic Field of Camp Gray in tiny Reedsburg, WI. The 1st Annual Alan Deitzenbach Memorial Softball Tournament was to be played, making this veteran sports writer giddier than the H1N1 virus overtaking a Catholic Summer Camp like a destructive rebel force.
With temperatures hovering in the mid-80s on this near perfect, cloudless morning, teams took to the CAF in advance of the 10am kick off to loosen their cannons and to find the sweet spot on their Louisville Sluggers.
Matched up today were bitter rivals, The Red Team vs. The Green Team.
Before the game, Red Team 3rd Baseman (and sometime color man) Doug Ulazcek lost a heartbreaking Best 2 out of 3 Rock/Paper/Scissor Match with Green Team 1st Baseman Topher Aderhold to determine the home team. This shocking come from behind victory for the Green turned out to be a foreshadow of things to come.
Green Team clean-up hitter Nicky Kaehler got things rolling patriotically for the teams by singing her unique rendition of the Star Spangled Banner.
Play Ball!
The Red Team, led by Derek Behnke and Colleen Schmidt, jumped out to an early and demanding 9-1 lead that had many onlookers fearing the worst: a slaughtering reminiscent of the Pathfinder - Trailblazer Capture the Flag game during session 1. But led by Emilio Alvarez (who, unbeknownst to teammates, was suffering from Class V Swine Flu) and the tree trunk arms and rabid eyes of Andy Schindhelm, the Green team battled back with an 8-run 4th inning to even the score at 9. Green Team 2nd basewoman Corey Seilaf and DH Jenna Keller helped the cause with 2 RBI's apiece.
With the Green Team holding on to a 12-10 lead to start the top of the 6th inning, there was no question whom the Green would send in at pitcher to close the effort: Alvarez. Alvarez, who came in with a 1.26 ERA, brings an unwavering confidence to the hill.
In the top of the 7th inning, the Red Team failed to capitalize on an excellent opportunity to score two runs when Red 3rd Base Coach (and sometime Short Stop) Kyle Gus mistakenly sent base runners home. A terrific throw with laser-like precision from Green centerfielder Mo-T Wilks was snagged by catcher Leanne Tracy. Tracy tagged runner Kelsey Greenwood and then threw out Michael Pennington at 3rd.
After a 4-run top of the 9th to knot the score 16, the Green simply needed one run in the bottom of the 9th to win.
With chants of MVP echoing through the nearby pines, Alvarez stepped to the plate with the winning run, Tracy, on second base. Alvarez waited and watched on the first pitch: Ball One! In what appeared to be a slight miscommunication between Red Pitcher Tyler Thrune and Red Catcher Mary Scanlin, Thrune delivered the second pitch, a floater (when Scanlin no doubt called for the heater). Alvarez's eyes grew to double their normal size as he stepped into the pitch and crushed it back, back, back, back, GONE! A two run walk off blast to win the 1st Annual ADM Softball Game!
Euphoria! Pure, unadulterated Euphoria!
Following the spectacular on-field celebrations came the awarding of the Inaugural ADM Softball Game MVP Trophy to Emilio Alvarez. With tears of joy streaming down his cheeks, Alvarez exclaimed, "Today, I feel like the luckiest man on the face of the planet!"
Immediately following the presentation, Ulazcek was overheard saying, "Erroneous".
